Yep, very good news indeed, 9 years after the wonderful Gongland.The few Mp3 samples deliver a more acoustic music than previous Gongland.This sounds charming (especially the hallucinations of hung tung)

These are really good news.The venerable dark cloud is one of my most beloved pearls from the Amplexus mcd necklace, along with Steve Roach, Robert Rich & Temps perdu ?.I like the vocal parts on the first track and the whole ambience developed on this mcd.It would be interesting to listen the previous versions and some tracks from that time.

Besides, I do expect the collaborative work with A produce. The samples are really appealing !

I do personally disagree with your statements gentlemen I did appreciate the first collaboration better than the second one.It sounds more subtle and refined to me, probably the nostalgia / sadness of "Pensive aphrodite", the delicate poetry of "A song for lost blossoms", the sensuality of "Forever hold my breath".All these covers give a brand new approach to the original tracks.All in all, I found the first CD more touching, even romantic, than "Candylion". I feel "Candylion" to be the "man" face of this music.Beyond my personal taste and choice, I feel these two releases as "feminine" and "masculine" faces of their music.Candylion sounds mental, and Songs for lost blossoms sounds "sensual".

These first appetizers sound very appealing.These works are a perfectly balanced association of modern/electronic and traditional/acoustic worlds.At first sight, the sound is clear and radiant and is really different from your previous Gongland CD.July's gonna be VERY interesting :-)

Does anyone knows anything new about Solitaire & Elmar Schulte ?The man has been very discreet since his last release "Nocturnes".There's a web site that sums up the band's discography, but no email or way to contact Mr Schulte...Anyone can help ?

Dynamic Stillness looks like one the most beautiful layout for me, alongside Mystic chords & sacred spaces.If the quality of the picture & layout echoes the music, we can expect a pure diamond :-)

I particulary love two sides of you music : - pure ambient / atmospheric, in the way of "Mystic chords & sacred spaces" or "The eternal expanse" track- tribal/rituals acts(without electronic ryhtmns), in the way of early origins / artifacts / The dreamer descends

Can we expect a come back to this last style, meaning less electronic drums and strongly acoustic percussions ?

Hi,The purpose of Martin is quite interesting, especially about how the market and the industry changed.I do agree in some parts.But anyways, has "ambient" music been really a top seller genre ? It's no popular music, but a world wide circle of connaissors, who really love and live these musics.These connaissors are keen on pretty layout in connections with the contend.These connaissors don't consider music as a market product, available for free, but as it is : art and human behind the art.There is respect for the work and the spirit in wich this art-work has been done.

Maybe am I wrong and naive, but I personaly don't feel that ambient people do download music freely (through p2p) just to collect it and place it on a mp3 player.As an Ambient Youth member, I like : - nice music- take time to listen to this music- nice cover and packaging- real material support (CD, Vynil) because this music based on sound and surround ambience DESERVES a full HI FI installation.

There are also well established artists-labels like Steve Roach or Alio die / Hic sunt leones.Then, there is a place for quality structures like Hypnos, who aim to develop this music, promote new artists.There is also place for well established artists to come back and offer new stuff.CD-R and streaming are not the only low cost alternatives to official CD and their high costs.

A reknowned project like TUU can release official music in limited editions.Remember O Yuki Conjugate who released their great "euphoria of disobedience" only through pre-orders, more than 10 years after their last release.So yes, the market has changed, in bad ways and in good ways too.The "ambient community" has some haven, like hypnos forum, where exchanges, communications are intense.This community gets stronger with internet, maybe not wider, but hasn't disappeared.It also expands in the east, via labels like Farya, Vivo, Nextera. New opportunities to meet new people.And that's great.And someting tells me that Mike wouldn't be against getting TUU in his catalogue :-)

A sad new that affects me deeply.The talented french composer Hector Zazou passed away on Monday the 8th of september, at the age of 60.

Zazou was awarded for "Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corse" and leave us a testimony of a seminal works, printed by his special & recognizable touch, his so deep sensitivity and undeniable sense of sensuality that sublime his compositions.

Among these pearls, I would mention "Music from the cold seas", "Sahara Blue", "Lights in the dark", "Quadri+Chromies", "Strong currents" and "Glyph".

I had the opportunity to see Mr Z two times.

First, in a concert in 2007 at Radio France, GRM Room (Paris), for the "Presences electroniques" Festival ouverture.He performed with Katie Jane Garside (aaaaaah such sensual voice and presence), Bill Rieflin, Lone Kent and Nils Peter Moelvaer.

I was completely transported and attracted by this sensual, even sexual, ocean of sounds & voices, sometimes minimal, often melodic, through lively and explosive orchestrations and parenthesis of absolute beauty.

Then, I met him two weeks after during the Quartz Award ceremony (awards dedicated to indie electronic music) in Paris. I talked to him a few minutes, especially about the previous performance.

The man wasn't as convinced as I was by the performance and even doubted this deserved to be released.6 months after, the CD was released. Mean that an angel or people of good advises changed his mind and showed him this is worth to be listened to.

I will miss this humble man, full of quality, genious and sensitivy, open on the world, the human being and the arts.

I do agree too.I would mention another good example, with David Sylvian's own label Samadhisound.DS has been able to raise Samadhisound and to get a total artistic autonomy with the strong promotion and mass-marketing tools from Virgin.